ONION MURUKKU - DIWALI CELEBRATION !!!

Hi all, Hope everyone had wonderful weekend.  This year Diwali falls on Nov 5th, so its just 4 days.  Everyone will be in festival mood and very busy in making delicious sweets and snacks.  Even though we don't have much of fireworks excitement here in US, still we love Diwali by lighting  Diyas, wearing new dress, eating yummy treats, having friends get-togethers, going to temple.  What else we need for a celebration right!!! So I started my treats with spicy "Onion Murukku”.  This is our favorite one and my mother-in law makes so good.  The whole house smells soooooo delicious and that anyone can find it.  Today I am posting 2 versions, one is by grinding rice and another is using rice flour.  Since I don't have Grinder here I used to make using rice flour.  Here goes the recipe....

ONION MURUKKU - VER I

Ingredients :

Rice Flour - 2 cups ( I usually make using Idiyappam flour)

Urad flour - 1/2 cup

Besan - 1/4 cup

Roasted gram flour - 1/4 cup ( Powder and measure)

Butter - 1 tbsp (Room temperature)

Red chillies - 12

Onion - 1 cup ( Chopped, it would be good to use strong pungent smell.  Usually shallots are used since we don't get here I use purple onion which has strong flavor)

Water as required for making dough

Salt - 1/2 tbsp ( Use as required)

Oil for Deep frying

Method :

1. Take a big bowl, measure all the flours.  Add salt and butter mix well until well blended.

2. Make a fine paste of onion and red chillies by adding little water.

3. Now add to the mixture and make dough( not so stiff or so soft). Add water if needed while making dough.

4. Parallely  heat the oil in the deep vessel or deep frying pan.  The oil should be really really hot.

5.Now fill the dough in the murukku press and press into the hot oil.( This can be checked by adding little piece of dough, when it comes up immediately without settling down it means its ready).

6.Don't reduce the flame, it should maintain the same temperature.  You can notice more bubbles in the oil as soon as the dough is pressed.

7. When the bubbles are reduced take it out and drain in the paper towel. Repeat with remaining dough.

8. Once it is cooled store in the air tight container.  This Murukku tastes more better after few hours.  You can feel the smell and taste of onion.

Note :

1. Each and everytime before pressing the dough in the oil , make sure oil is really hot otherwise it will end up with hard ones.

2. Just fill oil to half of the pan, dont pour more otherwise when dough is pressed the oil will come out.

ONION MURUKKU - VER II

INGREDIENTS :

Idli Rice - 4 cups

Shallots - 2 cups( without chopping)

Roasted gram dhal - 1 cup ( powdered)

Besan - 1 cup

Red chilli - 15

Method :

1. Soak the rice for few hours and grind them with onion and red chilli in the grinder to thick batter.  Dont add much water.  It has to be really thick batter.

2. Now to this add the 2 other flours, make like a chappathi dough.

3. Heat the oil in the deep vessel or deep frying pan.  The oil should be really really hot.

4. Now fill the dough in the murukku press and press into the hot oil.( This can be checked by adding little piece of dough, when it comes up immediately without settling down it means its ready).

5. Don't reduce the flame, it should maintain the same temperature.  You can notice more bubbles in the oil as soon as the dough is pressed.

6. When the bubbles are reduced take it out and drain in the paper towel. Repeat with remaining dough.

7. Once it is cooled store in the air tight container.  This Murukku tastes more better after few hours.  You can feel the smell and taste of onion.

Both versions tastes great. Enjoy making and eating spicy murukku 

Wish you all Advance Happy Diwali !!!